PhilJohnson Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 I bought a 51 Plymouth Cranbrook a couple of months ago. Got it running and it moves pretty decent. Trouble is the brakes are all shot. I know to remove the rear drum one must use a drum puller. After removing the rear wheels I noticed that the rear drum appears to be riveted onto the rear axle hub. Could I grind off those rivets and simply remove the drum like a modern car? Another question I have is where can I get shoes. Seems like none of the parts stores carry them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Young Ed Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 You need to get your existing shoes relined at a place like www.brakeplace.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aero3113 Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 (edited) If you did remove the rivets you would have to install studs in the hub so you can mount the drum/wheel. Edited March 16, 2011 by aero3113 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desoto1939 Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 According to my brake book and catalog the 51 and 50 P23/P20 all used the same brake lining which would be a number 1213. This would have been a riveted style lining. Here is the data on this lining: Drum diameter 10 inches width 2 inches Thickness 3/16 Length 8 and 10 1/2 Pieces 2 each on each size Rivets size 4-5 number needed 36 Group 4 rivets brass semi tubular specifics: Shank 9/64 Head 5/16 Length 5/16 so this is what a 4-5 rivet means it is a group 4 rivet and the length of the rivet is 5/16 so a 4-7 would have a length of 7/16 I am presently scanning a brake catalog that has all of this information and also clutch and emergency brake information. The cost of the catalog willbe $12 and included shipping. It willcover out cara and trucks from 1938 to 51. And was produced by the Thermoid Brake company. The lining number is a universal number used across the industry. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JIPJOBXX Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 You can drive the hubs by just lossning the hub retainer nut and driving the car a short distance. Leave nut on so the hub does not fly oft oft of axel! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suntennis Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 Regarding the removal of rivets, No, you do not remove them to get to the lining. Check out the tech section on this site for how to remove the brake drum with a puller. If the puller and a big hammer will not loosen the drum, then the hub will need to be heated for it to loosen. Places like Roberts motor parts and some other old Plymouth parts places can supply you with brake shoes, cylnders and whatever else you need to do the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 Second opinion, short answer maybe. The drum certainly can be removed from the hub. It has been discussed before and the concensus was split. Modern cars use floating drums, anduse the wheel lugs to keep them centered and in place against the hub flange. I would think the rivets could be ground down and the drum pulled off leaving the hub attached to the axle, similar to modern front wheel drives. then for reassembly, one or two of the rivet hols could be threaded and a counter sunk screw could be used for centering and affixing the drum to the flange upon reassembly, though this would probably be redundant once the 5 lug bolts were tightend with the wheel in place holdig wheel and drum back to the hub. Some one also mentioned this approach to removing the drum from the front to be replaced by a top hat style rotor (4wheel drive jeep for example) to use for a disc brake application. Don't see why it wouldn't work for the rears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dezeldoc Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 I separated the drums from the hub on my P-19 and installed studs, don't like the bolts. No problems with it this way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrashingcows Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 This is the route I think I will be going. Remove the rivets and separate the drum and hub. Then have new wheel studs installed. Just seems like a more convenient way to do things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Bartz Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 Phil, See your personal messages. Contact me and I will help you with your brakes. I'm also in central WI. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Yergin Posted March 17, 2011 Report Share Posted March 17, 2011 Some one also mentioned this approach to removing the drum from the front to be replaced by a top hat style rotor (4wheel drive jeep for example) to use for a disc brake application.Don't see why it wouldn't work for the rears. That's how you install the rear disc brakes for the AAJ set-up. Jim Yergin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerhouse Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 any pictures of it separated and set up? how does the hub attach to the drum/wheel if the rivets aren't there anymore? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 (edited) via the lug bolts through the drum and into or out of the hub. Edited March 29, 2011 by greg g Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerhouse Posted March 29, 2011 Report Share Posted March 29, 2011 Oh....sorry I forgot what the inside of the drum looked like. Looks like the rivet holes are the same bolt pattern as the wheel bolt holes. I wonder if one could just insert wheel studs in the rivet holes and leave the other's threaded for use of bolts if someone wanted to go back to stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niel Hoback Posted March 29, 2011 Report Share Posted March 29, 2011 The rivet holes are only about 3/8". It would take re-drilling to get to a size you could press studs into. So get the studs first, and then drill to the required size after you make sure there is enough hub material left. You would end up with a hub with ten pretty good sized holes in it. That might worry me. But then, I don't go around corners on two wheels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerhouse Posted March 29, 2011 Report Share Posted March 29, 2011 Yeah...the extra holes would worry me too. Probably Ok though...but not worth the worry or effort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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